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Did Louisiana's congressional clout takes a hit with Landrieu loss?

Landrieu, an 18-year veteran whose third term expires in January, would have been the highest-ranking Democrat on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee next year had she won re-election. She became the committee's chairwoman in February.

WASHINGTON – Louisiana's congressional delegation has undergone major changes in just a matter of months.

Rep. Steve Scalise was elected to the No. 3 position among House Republicans in June. And runoff elections on Dec. 6 gave the state a new senator and two new House members. Several delegation veterans are getting new committee posts as well, including some key subcommittee chairmanships.

Seven of Louisiana's eight lawmakers will be Republicans next year, when the GOP will take control of the Senate and expand its majority in the House. That's up from six in the 113th Congress that recently adjourned.

"It's always easier to get things accomplished when you're a member of the majority party,'' said Joshua Stockley, a political scientist at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Louisiana pollster Bernie Pinsonat agreed GOP control will help the mostly Republican delegation.

"We can be effective because we are not a split-party state,'' he said. "Solid Republican means power in D.C.''

Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-2nd District, will be the delegation's only Democrat as a result of Sen. Mary Landrieu's loss to Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy on Dec. 6.

Stockley said the delegation's clout "took a significant hit'' with Landrieu's defeat.

Landrieu, an 18-year veteran whose third term expires in January, would have been the highest-ranking Democrat on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee next year had she won re-election. She became the committee's chairwoman in February.

Landrieu also served on the powerful Appropriations Committee, which allocates funding for federal programs and agencies, and chaired the panel's Homeland Security Subcommittee.

She ranked 22nd is seniority in the Senate, according to Roll Call.

Pinsonat voiced a different view, saying the GOP's takeover of the Senate next year means Landrieu's election loss will have a minimal impact on the state delegation's influence.

Garret Graves, a Republican and former congressional staffer, won election to Cassidy's House seat in the 6th District. He will serve on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Natural Resources Committee. Committee assignments will be formally approved when the 114th Congress convenes on Jan. 6.

Republican Ralph Abraham, a physician who won election to represent the 5th District, will sit on the House Agriculture Committee and the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Louisiana lawmakers said they're counting on Scalise, R-1st District, to play a key role pushing issues important to the state in his role as House majority whip. Scalise will also continue to serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

"He's going to have the ability maybe to reshuffle some of the priorities and agendas and bills that come before the House, and that could be very important clout for us,'' said Rep. John Fleming, R-4th District.

Rep. Charles Boustany, R-3rd District, dean of the House delegation, will remain on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. He will chair the panel's Human Resources Subcommittee and said he plans to focus on addressing generational poverty.

Fleming will remain on the Armed Services Committee and the Natural Resources Committee, where he may chair a subcommittee.

Fleming also was recently named co-chairman of the GOP Doctors Caucus, along with Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn. The group plans to use its "influence and leverage'' to press Republican leaders to push legislation to repeal or replace the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

"Congress has failed to address not only the old problems in health care, but the new problems in health care,'' Fleming said.

Richmond expects to remain on the Homeland Security Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

In the Senate, Republican David Vitter will chair the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, a post that Stockley said will allow him to steer grants and contracts to Louisiana. Vitter also will serve on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

Cassidy will serve on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Veterans' Affairs Committee, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Appropriations Committee. He was guaranteed the seat on Energy and Natural Resources during his runoff campaign against Landrieu by House GOP leaders who wanted to boost his election chances.

Cassidy will have more seniority than other freshman senators because of his prior service in the House. But he will be the least-senior member on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

Dore said Cassidy already has developed relationships with Republican senators, including John McCain of Arizona, who campaigned with him in Louisiana, so he should "hit the ground running.